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Travel and holidays

5 tips to protect your money abroad

Whilst holidays should be a time for relaxation, it’s important to keep safety in the back of your mind, especially when it comes to protecting your money. After all, it’s common knowledge that tourists are at higher risk of being pickpocketed as they don’t generally know the area, and tend to carry more cash.

To help you avoid a holiday mishap, here are five easy ways to protect your money abroad.

1. Let your bank know you’re going away

You can either call your bank, or let them know online that you’ll be going abroad. Not only will this avoid your bank putting a stop on your card (occasionally, if your bank notices irregular payments in foreign countries, they will put a hold on all transactions until they’ve confirmed your card hasn’t been stolen) but they’ll provide you with details of what to do should something go wrong whilst you’re on holiday.

2. Don’t take all your cards with you

Although it’s tempting to take your entire wallet in all its glory, do you really need to take the card for your savings account? Or that old library card you’ve been meaning to get rid of? Have a clear out before you go, and only take the cards you really need – then, if your wallet is stolen, you’ll have less to cancel and replace.

3. Split your cash

If you’re taking a lot of cash with you, don’t carry it all in the same place. Leave some in your hotel room (preferably in a safe), and maybe have two or three separate purses in your bag – a thief is unlikely to be able to locate all of them, so they’ll only get away with a small amount of your cash.

4. Invest in a theft-proof bag

As well as splitting your cash, invest in a theft-proof bag – a bag with zip up pockets at the back, rather than the front, will make it more difficult for thieves to access your belongings without alerting you.

5. Make sure you're covered

Even if you take every precaution, unfortunately the unexpected does still happen. That's why it's a good idea to have a look into taking out travel insurance to protect your belongings. Most travel insurance will provide an element of cover for theft of personal belongings, but it's a good idea to check this with your insurer before purchasing a policy.

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